Speak // 12.04.2017 // Curated by Ed.

AskED. What learners are saying about students sacrificing to pay rent

Desperate students can’t afford food, plea for immediate help.

Students are calling for an urgent bump in support payments amid soaring rental prices in Auckland. The current ‘living cost’ loans available to students are swallowed in rent alone. Isn’t the idea of ‘living cost loans’ that you can actually live on them? The problem is, the students who have the least support are the ones who need to make the most sacrifices while they’re studying, hampering their ability to succeed in their courses.

Ed. took to the streets to ask students how they feel about it.

“Quite a few people have to work two or three jobs just to afford to live in Auckland. Student allowance doesn’t cover it all, so they have to pay out of their own pocket.”
– Claudia, Psychology and English student

“I feel really sorry for the students that have to work, sometimes incredibly long hours because their living costs don’t even allow them to pay rent. Or their living costs will cover the rent, and then they have nothing for food.”
– Rupert, BCom/BA

“People have to work and have to sacrifice for those grades, so it’s a negative spiral.”
– Benjamin, Accounting student

“It definitely makes it harder if your got different things going on; if you’re looking after family or working and studying at the same time.”
– Ella, Media and Screen Production student

“The lifestyle of students is a lot harder than people make it out to be, and especially those that aren’t from Auckland they have it tougher.”

– Matthew, Law and Arts student

“University is very stressful and finances is just more stress added onto that.”– Moya, Science student

“Finances are really hard to sort out for Uni. There’s a housing crisis so if you want to live close to Uni it’s not really a viable solution.”
– Brandon, Law and Arts student